The ceremony was held on Saturday (July 18), sponsor of the vessel is Mrs. Janée Bonner.

The predecessor of LCS-9, CL-92 Little Rock, was a valiant ship with multiple lives, which served from 1960 to 1976. Today, the vessel is a museum ship located in Buffalo.

After completing planned tests, LCS-9 will be deployed to Singapore. The vessel is expected to be one of the four Littoral Combat Ships continuously deployed in the area in relation with the “pivot toward the Pacific” of the U.S. Department of Defense. The LSCs will monitor and attempt to counterbalance the growing claims of China on the South China Sea.